Navel umbilical pressure shield



Sept. 22, 1953 H. E. SMITH NAVEL UMBILICAL PRESSURE SHIELD Filed Feb. 14, 1951 I l g 4 I INVENTOR.

Patented Sept, 22, 1953 UNITED STATES .ENT aorrics NAVEL PRESSURE SHIELD ill-Inward E.,Smith, Monroe,.Mic h. Applic j ion February 14, 195 1,--S erial l\l (o1. zs sz) V 3 Glaims.

My invention relates to a special medical appliance to be used in care of infants, at birth, or as soon thereafter as the umbilical cord has detached from the body navel.

The object of my invention is to provide a special pressure shield applicable to newly born infants, for depressing the navel within the abdomen, immediately after the detachment of the umbilical cord therefrom.

Another object is to provide a navel pressure shield for infants, that are of non-toxic properties and are of transparent material for inspection, and may be easily applied or removed from the body abdomen.

These several objects are attained in the preferred form by the construction and arrangement of parts as are more fully hereinafter set forth.

Similar parts on all drawings are marked by similar numerals or letters.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the umbilical pressure shield, showing the general exterior design of the assembled units, and means for retaining the shield in the required body position.

Fig. 2 is a side View of the pressure shield unit, showing the relative position of the unit formation.

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the pressure shield, showing the navel depression boss and means for ventilating same.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of the Fig. 1, showing the pressure depression formation and the strap holding recesses.

Fig. 5 is also a cross-sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of the Fig. '1, showing the curved shield walls at the central section, designed to relieve body surface pressure except at the pressure zone surface.

In general practice, shortly after the birth of an infant, the umbilical cord, properly prepared by an attending physician, will naturally detach itself from the infants navel, and in various instances may become swollen, or extended outwardly from the abdomen wall, and require exterior pressure to invert same for proper internal navel formation. My umbilical pressure shield is especially designed to fit over the navel projection, slightly depress same temporarily to an inverted position until the proper navel formation is acquired.

The navel umbilical pressure shield A is preferably made of suitable transparent plastic material having non-toxic properties, and comprising an outer body shield plate I, formed with a depressed pressure boss 2 centrally positioned thereon. The body plate I is formed of an elongated section of plastic sheet material curved longitudinally to substantially body curvature of a normal infants abdomen, and is preferably formed with curved side walls a, and end walls b at opposite edges thereof. The curved body shield I is designed with a circular recess opening 3 centrally positioned, and with elongated holding strap recesses 4 at the opposite ends thereof, parallel with the shield ends b. Concentric with the circular recess opening 3, on the concave surface 0 of the shield plate I, is formed a hollow, circular boss 2, fixedly mounted, or formed thereon, and having the boss rim edges sealed with the shield plate recess 3 edges, or preferably stamped, pressed, or moulded with the shield plate section all as a single unit. However, the pressure boss 2 may be formed as a separate unit and attached to the shield plate by mechanical means if desired. The pressure boss 2 is preferably formed with a straight or curved horizontal bottom wall d, and with curved edges e and f, forming a perfectly smooth projection throughout. The boss bottom d is formed with suitable air ventilating holes 5 therethrough. In forming the umbilical pressure shield A, the central shield plate surface h is also curved slightly, as shown in the Fig. 5, to aid in the nave1 pressure without body surface contact at that point. The actual size of the shield plate I, or the pressure boss 2, may be varied as desired for any special surgical use, or as may be required by the surgical conditions.

The umbilical pressure shield is applied by placing same over the abdomen navel section, after the umbilical cord has naturally disconnected therefrom, positioned with the boss 2 in direct contact with the navel opening, or projection, either with or without a gauze pad, and the shield is retained on the body by means of suitable straps designed to encircle the infants abdomen and adjustably attached to the shield plate recesses 4, in any suitable manner,

Having fully described my navel umbilical pressure shield, what I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A navel umbilical pressure shield adapted for producing pressure on the navel section of a newly born infant after the detachment of the umbilical cord therefrom, comprising a curved shield plate of plastic material, designed approximately complementary to an infants abdominal body curvature, and formed with a flat circular pressure boss projected centrally from the con- 3 cave surface thereof, and slots for attachment of said shield in a chosen abdominal position.

2. A navel umbilical pressure shield adapted for producing pressure on the navel section of a newly born infant, after detachment of the umbilical cord therefrom, comprising a curved shield plate of plastic material, designed and formed approximately complementary to an infants abdominal body curvature, and with a central circular recess therein, a flat circular recessed pressure boss formed over the central circular opening and fixedly mounted thereon projected from the concave side of said shield plate, and slots for attachment of said pressure shield in a chosen abdominal position.

3. A navel umbilical pressure shield adapted for producing pressure on the navel section of a newly born infant, after detachment of the umbilical cord therefrom, comprising a curved shield plate of plastic transparent sheet material, designed approximately complementary to the body curvature of an infants abdomen, and formed with a circular recessed pressure boss having an outer flat surface, depressed centrally therethrough and projected from the concave side thereof, and suitable strap slot recesses formed through opposite ends of said shield plate.

HOWARD E. SMITH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 119,233 Jones Sept. 26, 1871 703,290 Mulford June 24, 1902 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 8,567 Switzerland June 20, 1894 

